Praying To God | Christian Disciplines

Introduction


Today we begin our eighth subject in our series on the Christian Disciplines. The Christian disciplines we are talking about are those practices rooted in Scripture that contribute to spiritual growth in a believer in the gospel.

For the last several weeks, we have been talking about Bible intake. We’ve looked at the importance of hearing, reading, studying, and meditating on the Word.

While the various disciplines under this heading are how we hear from God, the other primary discipline (prayer) is how we talk to God.

How do Christians pray? Where do we begin?

One of the best places is the model prayer, which we will look at by turning to the middle of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount.

Turn to Matthew 6. (Read verses 9-13).

While prayer is supposed to be personal and sincere, that doesn’t mean it ought to be random. There are some characteristics that should be absent, and others that should be present. We do not get to invent the characteristics of effective prayer.

This is why we need to listen to Jesus when he tells God’s people there is a certain way they are to pray. In less than seventy words, God’s infinite mind has given us a short masterpiece that includes every element of true prayer. It is simple enough a young child can understand it, but rich enough that the most mature believer cannot fully comprehend it.

So what is Jesus teaching us about prayer? Today we will look to verses 9-10, and learn the characteristics of praying to God.

I. Confidence

Verse 9 reads, “After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven…”

When we go to God in prayer, we need to go in confidence.

What is the source of this confidence? We are confident because the basis of prayer is our adoption as children of God.

•   Have you considered that prayer is an attempt to directly communicate with the all-powerful, holy God of the universe? What right have we?

Scripture says in John 1:12 - “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:”

We are the children of God. This is not the case with everyone. Though the world of men in general is sometimes referred to as “all God’s children,” it is only those who are Christ’s that can look to God and say “Our Father.”

Believers have been made God’s children. Specifically, we have been made God’s children by the work of Jesus Christ. Paul said “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:26).

We are to pray remembering that God is our Father, and specifically, that He is our Father which is in heaven. Christ is teaching that when we pray to the Father, we need to remember that he is above and beyond all of our difficulties.

Pray with confidence by addressing your requests to the Father which is in heaven.

II. Reverence

Verse 9 continues: “…Hallowed be thy name.”

Second, Christ tells us to pray with reverence. He does this by relating the first petition in the prayer, that we should pray for God’s name to be hallowed.

•   Jesus does not say “hallowed is your name,” a statement of fact. But rather the phrase is given in the form of a petition. He is showing that an element of true prayer is the desire that God’s name would be hallowed, or consecrated.

You will notice in verses 9 and 10 that the first three petitions are not for the Christian, but for God. Before the requests about our bread, our sins, and our temptations, there are the requests for God’s name, God’s kingdom, and God’s will.

We do not pray to align God’s desires with ours, but to align our desires with God’s.

The fact that this petition is #1 for Jesus demonstrates how much we need to align our desires with God. Are we concerned about God’s name being hallowed?

A person’s name is how he is known. When we speak of God’s name, we speak of how He is known in this world. To hallow is to consecrate, to set apart as sacred.

•  The way we think of someone’s name is a reflection of what we think of the person. When people think of God as sacred, they will treat His name as sacred. When God’s name is treated disrespectfully, it is because the people think low of Him.

The first request in the Christian’s prayer is not concerned with how we are thought of, but how God is thought of. Our first priority is not our glory, but God’s glory.

•  In our image-centered age, when people are obsessed with how they are thought of, doesn’t this come across as radical, that the first request of the model prayer is for people to know the truth about who God is?

But if we know God, how wonderful, great, and holy He is, then it actually is fitting that we desire others to respond to Him with a similar awe.

When we approach God in prayer, do our requests have anything to do with His name? Are we concerned with the fact that the way we live either sanctifies the name of God to those around us, or profanes it?

III. Loyalty

Verse 10 says, “Thy kingdom come…”

Third, we are taught to pray in loyalty.

What does it means to pray for God’s kingdom to come? This is a request to see the Lord reigning as king in His kingdom. The Christian’s great yearning should be to see the kingdom in its final form, with Christ alone as Ruler. This will occur after the rapture and subsequent tribulation, when the Father sends the Son in power and glory.

•  It is so easy for us to become earthly minded. We see wars, and we think better policies will solve the problem. Governments are failing, and we assume that if we just get the right people elected, everything will be ok.

•  But the truth is that the earthly problems around us will not be ultimately fixed by an earthly power. This is why we must be heavenly minded. Our greatest desire for the future must not be a left-wing administration, or a right-wing administration, but Jesus ruling in His kingdom.

•  When elections, supreme court decisions, and legislation battles ‘go our way,’ we must not inflate their importance. These are not ultimate victories: they are only better management of our fallenness.

This request is similar to the one before it. True prayer is not an attempt to get God behind our program, but rather to acknowledge, long for, and even ask Him to bring in His program. Our allegiance is to Jesus as Lord, or we do not even belong to Him.  This is what it means to pray in loyalty. We must value His kingdom purposes over every other lesser citizenship.

Verse 10 ends like this: “…Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.”

To ask for God’s will to be done, is to make a request that He would be obeyed. This is specifically referring to the moral will of God, the commandments God has given.

•       Jesus is not telling us to pray “God, whatever you are going to do, do it,” even though that’s often how we use this line. 20 Chapters later, Jesus said these words when He asked the Father to remove the cup of His wrath, but then said “nevertheless, let thy will be done.” Jesus was submitting Himself to what the Father asked Him to do.

Even this request comes before our daily food! Jesus is teaching that our desire to obey God in our lives is more important than physical hunger.

Prayer does not involve asking God to obey us, but Jesus says it must involve asking God to help us obey Him.

Conclusion

•       Are we praying with confidence? Do we remember the basis of our prayer, that we are children of the God who is above all of our problems and loves us?

•       Are we praying with reverence? As you pray for revival, think about why. Is your desire to enjoy a time of personal excitement? Do you want your church to grow so it will look great and be more favorable? Or are we praying for revival so God’s name will be consecrated in our lives, our families, our church, and our community?

•       Are we praying with loyalty? Do you pray thinking that what this world needs is more of you, your church, or your favorite political candidate? Or are you praying for God’s program, His kingdom?

As we examine the first three requests of the Christian’s prayer, we realize that prayer has more to do with God’s desires and our own. We must first desire His name, His kingdom, and His will.